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Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 9 November 1841

Source Note

Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
, Letter,
Fair Haven

Village in south-central Connecticut, located on Quinnipiac River. Population in 1853 about 3,000.

More Info
, New Haven Co., CT, to JS,
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Hancock Co., IL, 9 Nov. 1841; handwriting of
Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
; one page; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal stamps, postal notation, and docket.
Bifolium measuring 9⅞ × 7⅞ inches (25 × 20 cm) and ruled with twenty-four horizontal blue lines. The letter was written in blue ink on the first page only, trifolded twice in letter style, addressed, sealed with a red adhesive wafer, and stamped for postal delivery. The letter was later refolded for filing and docketed.
The docket by
John S. Fullmer

21 July 1807–8 Oct. 1883. Farmer, newsman, postmaster, teacher, merchant. Born at Huntington, Luzerne Co., Pennsylvania. Son of Peter Fullmer and Susannah Zerfass. Moved to Nashville, Davidson Co., Tennessee, spring 1832. Married Mary Ann Price, 24 May 1837...

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, who served in a clerical capacity for JS from 1841 to 1842, indicates the document was retained by the office of JS in 1841.
1

See John S. Fullmer, [Nauvoo, IL], to George D. Fullmer, Nashville, TN, 28 Mar. 1841, in Fullmer, Letterbook, 124; Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841; and JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Isaac Galland, [Keokuk, Iowa Territory], 17 Jan. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Fullmer, John S. Letterbook, 1836–1881. John S. Fullmer Journal and Letterbook, 1836–1881. CHL.

The letter is listed in a Church Historian’s Office inventory from circa 1904.
2

“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, 1, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

By 1973 this document had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL).
3

See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.


The docket, inventory, and inclusion in the JS Collection suggest continuous institutional custody since the letter was received.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See John S. Fullmer, [Nauvoo, IL], to George D. Fullmer, Nashville, TN, 28 Mar. 1841, in Fullmer, Letterbook, 124; Letter to Smith Tuttle, 9 Oct. 1841; and JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Isaac Galland, [Keokuk, Iowa Territory], 17 Jan. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.

    Fullmer, John S. Letterbook, 1836–1881. John S. Fullmer Journal and Letterbook, 1836–1881. CHL.

  2. [2]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, 1, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  3. [3]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 9 November 1841,
Horace Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
in
New Haven

Significant port city in Connecticut, four miles from Long Island Sound. Settled by company from London, 1638. United with Connecticut Colony, 1662. Population in 1830 about 10,000. Population in 1840 about 13,000. JS corresponded with Horace Hotchkiss and...

More Info
, Connecticut, wrote a letter to JS in
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, Illinois, to report on
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
member
James Ivins

22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....

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’s efforts to settle debts that JS and other church leaders owed Hotchkiss. The letter also discussed transferring
New Jersey

Located in northeast region of U.S. First European settlements made by Dutch, Swedes, and English, early 1600s. Admitted to U.S. as state, Dec. 1787. Population in 1830 about 321,000. Population in 1840 about 373,000. First Latter-day Saint missionaries preached...

More Info
property to Hotchkiss to cover an interest payment owed him. According to the terms of an 1839
Illinois

Became part of Northwest Territory of U.S., 1787. Admitted as state, 1818. Population in 1840 about 480,000. Population in 1845 about 660,000. Plentiful, inexpensive land attracted settlers from northern and southern states. Following expulsion from Missouri...

More Info
land purchase from Hotchkiss and his business partners
Smith Tuttle

12 Mar. 1795–7 Mar. 1865. Shipping merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Christopher Tuttle and Abigail Luddington. Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., by 1810. Married first Rachel Gillett. Married second Amarilla...

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and
John Gillet

2 Aug. 1796–17 July 1848. Likely born in Connecticut. Son of Benoni Gillett and Phoebe Dean. Moved to Commerce (later Nauvoo), Hancock Co., Illinois, by May 1837. In Aug. 1839, with land-speculating partners Horace Hotchkiss and Smith Tuttle, sold land in...

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, JS and church leaders owed $3,000 in interest annually for twenty years.
1

For more on the original purchase, see Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A.


In an 11 October 1841 letter to JS, Hotchkiss agreed to accept church property near
New Egypt

Small village in Monmouth Co. Became part of Ocean Co., New Jersey, by 1854. Located about twenty miles southeast of Trenton. Population ca. 1854 about 600. JS authorized William Smith to trade land owned near New Egypt in payment on debt.

More Info
, New Jersey, from Ivins as payment toward the accrued interest. In that same letter, Hotchkiss proposed that the New Jersey property, which included a tavern stand and 137 acres of timber land, be valued at $3,000, which would cover the annual interest owed him in 1841.
2

Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 11 Oct. 1841.


Before receiving a response from JS,
Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
wrote the letter featured here on 9 November, to follow up and repeat his offer. Hotchkiss also reiterated that
Ivins

22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....

View Full Bio
had paid another debt from a previous note JS had given Hotchkiss. Hotchkiss mailed the letter from
Connecticut

Originally inhabited by native Algonquin tribes. Among first thirteen colonies that formed U.S., southernmost state in New England. First permanent European settlements established by members of Massachusetts Bay Colony, ca. 1635. Population in 1820 about...

More Info
on 10 November. JS received the letter, likely within two weeks, and responded on 10 December 1841.
3

JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For more on the original purchase, see Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A.

  2. [2]

    Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 11 Oct. 1841.

  3. [3]

    JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216.

Page [1]

Fair Haven

Village in south-central Connecticut, located on Quinnipiac River. Population in 1853 about 3,000.

More Info
1

Though this letter and others from Hotchkiss are addressed or have a postal stamp from Fair Haven, Connecticut, Hotchkiss’s residence was a mile or two away in New Haven. (Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A; Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–B.)


9th Novr. 1841
Rev. Jos. Smith
Dear Sir— I was gratified in the perusal yesterday of the proceedings of your
Conference

A meeting where ecclesiastical officers and other church members could conduct church business. The “Articles and Covenants” of the church directed the elders to hold conferences to perform “Church business.” The first of these conferences was held on 9 June...

View Glossary
relative to the “
Hotchkiss Purchase

One of three major land acquisitions by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Nauvoo peninsula. Tract consisted of four to five hundred acres and included part of Commerce and all of planned Commerce City (now Nauvoo area). Property purchased for...

More Info
” published in the Times and Seasons—
2

At the October general conference in Nauvoo, Illinois, Orson Pratt read aloud a September 1841 letter from Smith Tuttle, Hotchkiss’s business partner, and the attendees approved a motion for JS to write to Hotchkiss about the debt. Immediately following the October general conference, the Times and Seasons published the conference minutes and an epistle from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that discussed the details of the Hotchkiss purchase and the intention to utilize lands in the eastern United States to cover the debt. The epistle encouraged church members in the East to trade their land for property in Nauvoo and relocate there. (See Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841; “An Epistle of the Twelve,” Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1841, 2:567–570; and Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Should it be convenient for the editor to send me pr. mail six or eight copies of that paper containing the article refered to I should be greatly obliged to him—
3

JS relayed Hotchkiss’s request to Ebenezer Robinson, who was editor of the Times and Seasons at the time. (Masthead, Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1841, 2:582; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Some time since I wrote you stating that Mr
James Ivins

22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....

View Full Bio
had settled the twenty five hundred dollar Note together with the interest upon it—
4

JS gave Hotchkiss a promissory note for $2,500 in fall 1840 for payment on the William White property. Hotchkiss had purchased two tracts of land from William White, but before making a full payment to White, Hotchkiss sold the land to JS, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith. Records indicate that in April 1840, JS bypassed Hotchkiss and paid White directly the amount he was still owed by Hotchkiss; six months later, JS gave Hotchkiss the $2,500 promissory note for the remaining amount owed him on the White purchase. This note, promising payment of $2,500 with interest within eight months, was given to Hotchkiss in October 1840. (Promissory Note to Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839; Receipt from William White, 23 Apr. 1840; Promissory Note to Horace Hotchkiss, 23 Oct. 1840; Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 28 July 1840; Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 11 Oct. 1841.)


He gave me two Notes for 721 dollars each against Riley Allen and a piece of Land for 1200 dolls.— Mr Allen has since died and the land I have sold for One thousand dollars so that you will perceive I shall not realise near the face of my Note but
Mr Ivins

22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....

View Full Bio
is of course no way to blame for that as he could not have foreseen the death of Mr Allen—
I informed you in the same letter that
Mr [Smith] Tuttle

12 Mar. 1795–7 Mar. 1865. Shipping merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Christopher Tuttle and Abigail Luddington. Moved to Wallingford, New Haven Co., by 1810. Married first Rachel Gillett. Married second Amarilla...

View Full Bio
and myself had offered to receive from
Mr Ivins

22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....

View Full Bio
the
Cooks Mills Tavern Stand

Located in Cookstown, southwest of New Egypt, New Jersey. Tavern stand and associated mills owned by Charles and James Ivins until at least 1833, when Ivins brothers sold mills. Tavern stand sold to Horace Hotchkiss against debt from Nauvoo-area land purchase...

More Info
and One hundred and thirty seven acres p[r]ime lands for the sum of Three Thousand dollars towards an interest— This he assented to provided it should be thought best after a consultation between himself and the heads of the
Church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
— I doubt not it will be approved
5

In his previous letter of 11 October 1841, Hotchkiss likewise proposed receiving the property at a value of $3,000 and informed JS that Ivins would travel to Nauvoo to ensure that church leaders approved of the transaction. (Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 11 Oct. 1841.)


Mr Ivins

22 Mar. 1797–3 Apr. 1877. Farmer. Born in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. Son of Israel Ivins and Margaret Woodward. Married Mary Schenk. Presumably baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Moved to Nauvoo, Hancock Co....

View Full Bio
left about 10 days since for your
City

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
6

JS did not mention consulting with Ivins when he answered Hotchkiss on 10 December with a counteroffer of $3,200 for the property. By February 1842 the land exchange was completed and a receipt was created for Hotchkiss for $3,200, settling the interest payment for 1841. (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216; Horace Hotchkiss et al., Receipt, Fair Haven, CT, to James Ivins, 28 Feb. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.)


Your Obt Servant
Horace R Hotchkiss

15 Apr. 1799–21 Apr. 1849. Merchant, land speculator. Born in East Haven, New Haven Co., Connecticut. Son of Heman Hotchkiss and Elizabeth Rowe. Moved to New Haven, New Haven Co., by 1815. Married Charlotte Austin Street, 22 Feb. 1824, in East Haven. Purchased...

View Full Bio
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Source Note

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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 9 November 1841
ID #
708
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D8:359–362
Handwriting on This Page
  • Horace Hotchkiss

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Though this letter and others from Hotchkiss are addressed or have a postal stamp from Fair Haven, Connecticut, Hotchkiss’s residence was a mile or two away in New Haven. (Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–A; Bond from Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839–B.)

  2. [2]

    At the October general conference in Nauvoo, Illinois, Orson Pratt read aloud a September 1841 letter from Smith Tuttle, Hotchkiss’s business partner, and the attendees approved a motion for JS to write to Hotchkiss about the debt. Immediately following the October general conference, the Times and Seasons published the conference minutes and an epistle from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles that discussed the details of the Hotchkiss purchase and the intention to utilize lands in the eastern United States to cover the debt. The epistle encouraged church members in the East to trade their land for property in Nauvoo and relocate there. (See Minutes and Discourse, 1–5 Oct. 1841; “An Epistle of the Twelve,” Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1841, 2:567–570; and Letter from Smith Tuttle, ca. 15 Sept. 1841.)

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  3. [3]

    JS relayed Hotchkiss’s request to Ebenezer Robinson, who was editor of the Times and Seasons at the time. (Masthead, Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1841, 2:582; JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216.)

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  4. [4]

    JS gave Hotchkiss a promissory note for $2,500 in fall 1840 for payment on the William White property. Hotchkiss had purchased two tracts of land from William White, but before making a full payment to White, Hotchkiss sold the land to JS, Sidney Rigdon, and Hyrum Smith. Records indicate that in April 1840, JS bypassed Hotchkiss and paid White directly the amount he was still owed by Hotchkiss; six months later, JS gave Hotchkiss the $2,500 promissory note for the remaining amount owed him on the White purchase. This note, promising payment of $2,500 with interest within eight months, was given to Hotchkiss in October 1840. (Promissory Note to Horace Hotchkiss, 12 Aug. 1839; Receipt from William White, 23 Apr. 1840; Promissory Note to Horace Hotchkiss, 23 Oct. 1840; Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 28 July 1840; Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 11 Oct. 1841.)

  5. [5]

    In his previous letter of 11 October 1841, Hotchkiss likewise proposed receiving the property at a value of $3,000 and informed JS that Ivins would travel to Nauvoo to ensure that church leaders approved of the transaction. (Letter from Horace Hotchkiss, 11 Oct. 1841.)

  6. [6]

    JS did not mention consulting with Ivins when he answered Hotchkiss on 10 December with a counteroffer of $3,200 for the property. By February 1842 the land exchange was completed and a receipt was created for Hotchkiss for $3,200, settling the interest payment for 1841. (JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Horace Hotchkiss, Fair Haven, CT, 10 Dec. 1841, in JS Letterbook 2, p. 216; Horace Hotchkiss et al., Receipt, Fair Haven, CT, to James Ivins, 28 Feb. 1842, JS Collection, CHL.)

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